Chicken Trucks and Black and Milds: "The Game" Returns

Alright, so I’m a huge fan of the game. More than the storyline or subpar writing, I am a fan of the chemistry. The actors just seemed to work on that show. So like many others, I was crushed with the series was cancelled by the CW. For well over a year, I clung to reruns and rumors of a resurrection. Finally the rumors were confirmed when BET got behind the show and brought it back. I was apprehensive but my feelings toward BET were not enough to quell my excitement about the return of the game. The new season premiered last night. Same cast, most of the same writers but none of the magic.

Two years after the events of the previous season and a lot has changed. Derwin is now a superstar. He and Melanie seem to be happily married, raising his son, and enjoying his newfound stardom. Malik is being Malik while Tee-Tee seems poised to finally step out of Malik’s shadow. The writers, apparently preparing for a new crop of viewers sought to include as much back story in the dialog as they could but it made the show seem corny and sloppy.

While they provided much back story, some of it didn’t make any sense. At one point in the show Tasha Mack chastises Melanie for her continued insecurities, making it seem as if Melanie was with Derwin because he’s a star. That makes no sense given the history of Melanie’s character and all of the sacrifices she made to be with Derwin. That particular storyline is part of what made the show and Melanie and Derwin’s relationship so great.

The show was awkward to say the least. Camera angles were weird, the laugh track was off, Tasha Mack was sucking on a Black and Mild even though there was never an indication in the past that she was a smoker, and Tee-Tee was operating a mobile chicken shack. The characters seem to lack depth and motivation. I’m not a one and done tv watcher so I’ll give the show another chance but this first episode didn’t make much sense to me. Did anyone else watch?

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Traci R.

Every long-time The Game watcher felt that something was off and couldn’t quite put a finger on it. I think you pinpointed all the suspicious elements. I was thinking it had something to do with the set change but that’s not it cause when Moesha’s living room and The Den changed after a few seasons I wasn’t tripping. The overt exposition didn’t faze me cause I actually did need some refreshing myself and they needed to reorient even past viewers away from expected outcomes set up in the season finale that couldn’t be fulfilled now. Even though we didn’t hear a peep about what happened to Rick Fox and that bothered me. I think Tasha should have been seen smoking Black & Mild in previous seasons…it just fit her to me LOL. I do miss the old sweet Kelly though…I need her to get her old personality back immediately!

Traci R.

Every long-time The Game watcher felt that something was off and couldn’t quite put a finger on it. I think you pinpointed all the suspicious elements. I was thinking it had something to do with the set change but that’s not it cause when Moesha’s living room and The Den changed after a few seasons I wasn’t tripping. The overt exposition didn’t faze me cause I actually did need some refreshing myself and they needed to reorient even past viewers away from expected outcomes set up in the season finale that couldn’t be fulfilled now. Even though we didn’t hear a peep about what happened to Rick Fox and that bothered me. I think Tasha should have been seen smoking Black & Mild in previous seasons…it just fit her to me LOL. I do miss the old sweet Kelly though…I need her to get her old personality back immediately!